What is included in PhpStorm?

PHP Editor – Smart completion, type checking, and safe refactoring.
Xdebug Debugger – Visual breakpoints and step-through PHP debugging.
Framework Support – Built-in Laravel, Symfony, and WordPress assistance.
Database Tools – Manage MySQL, PostgreSQL, and Redis in-IDE.
Core Capacity – Includes all WebStorm JavaScript and TypeScript tooling.
Important – Java, Python, and Go need IntelliJ IDEA.

What are the main benefits of PhpStorm?

PhpStorm is JetBrains' dedicated IDE for PHP and web development, bundling a PHP-aware editor, an Xdebug debugger, database tools, and framework support in one install. It runs on the same platform as IntelliJ IDEA and includes every JavaScript and TypeScript feature found in WebStorm.

Faster Coding – Context-aware completion cuts typing and manual lookups.
Fewer Bugs – Static inspections catch errors before runtime.
Easier Debugging – Xdebug is configured automatically, not by hand.
Full-Stack Ready – PHP, JavaScript, and SQL in one IDE.
Framework Speed – Laravel and Symfony navigation works out of the box.
You Keep It – Perpetual fallback license preserves a working version.

What does PhpStorm do?

PhpStorm is a PHP-focused IDE that combines a PHP-aware code editor, a visual Xdebug debugger, bundled database tools, and built-in support for Laravel, Symfony, and WordPress. It understands your project structure, so it can complete class and method names, infer PHP types, and refactor safely across an entire codebase. The bundled database client connects to MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Redis, and SQLite without a separate tool. In practice, you can edit PHP, run PHPUnit or Pest tests, inspect a failing request in the debugger, and query the database in one window.

Which PHP versions and frameworks does PhpStorm support?

PhpStorm supports modern PHP up to PHP 8.5, with type inference and inspections that adapt to the language level set in your composer.json. It ships with first-class support for Laravel, Symfony, and WordPress, and the Laravel Idea plugin is now bundled rather than sold separately. Testing is covered through PHPUnit, Pest, Behat, PHPSpec, and Codeception, with code coverage shown at the file and project level. If you are migrating an older project, the IDE flags deprecated syntax and helps you move safely to a newer PHP version.

What is the difference between PhpStorm and IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate?

IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate plus its free PHP plugin gives you everything PhpStorm has, while also adding Java, Kotlin, and other JVM languages. PhpStorm is the leaner, PHP-first build of the same platform: the same Xdebug debugging, the same Laravel and Symfony tooling, and the same bundled database and JavaScript support, without the extra JVM stack. Because the Laravel Idea plugin is now free in both, framework assistance no longer differs between them. Pick PhpStorm if PHP and web are your main stack, and IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate or the All Products Pack if you also work daily in Java, Python, or Go.

Does PhpStorm include AI features, and are they free?

PhpStorm includes free, locally-run Full Line code completion for PHP, JavaScript, TypeScript, and CSS that never sends your code to the cloud. Its cloud AI features — the AI Assistant chat and the Junie coding agent — run on JetBrains AI credits, so heavy AI use requires a separate AI subscription or your own API key. Since version 2026.1, a built-in MCP server also lets external agents such as Claude Code or Codex use the IDE's inspections and search. The editor is fully usable with no AI spending at all; only the agentic cloud features are metered separately.

Is PhpStorm free to use?

PhpStorm is a paid IDE and, unlike WebStorm or Rider, it has no free non-commercial license for hobby projects. You can evaluate the full IDE with a 30-day trial, and JetBrains grants free licenses to students, teachers, open-source maintainers, and training-course participants. A developer building a personal PHP side project who does not fall into those groups still needs a paid subscription. If you were expecting the same free-for-non-commercial terms JetBrains applies to its other IDEs, that exception does not extend to PhpStorm.

What should you check before choosing PhpStorm?

Confirm that PHP is actually part of your stack, because PhpStorm cannot edit, run, or debug Java, Python, Go, or C# code. If you only write JavaScript and TypeScript, WebStorm gives you the identical web tooling at a lower price plus a free non-commercial option. If you work across several backend languages, the All Products Pack or IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate usually costs less than stacking separate IDE subscriptions. Also check whether you need cloud AI: the core editor and local completion are included, but the AI Assistant and Junie agent draw on separate AI credits.

Frequently asked questions about PhpStorm

Can I keep using PhpStorm if I stop renewing?

Yes. A perpetual fallback license lets you keep using the PhpStorm version you already had, even without an active subscription; you simply stop receiving newer releases and updates. That makes a paid period a safe way to lock in a stable working build for an existing project.

Do I still need DataGrip if I have PhpStorm?

For most work, no. PhpStorm bundles the same database engine as DataGrip, so you can browse schemas and run SQL against MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, and other databases directly inside the IDE. A separate DataGrip license mainly makes sense if you also want a standalone database tool outside your PHP projects.

Does PhpStorm support Docker and remote development?

Yes. PhpStorm works with Docker, WSL 2, and SSH, and JetBrains Gateway lets you run the IDE against a remote host while keeping a light client on your own machine. This helps when your PHP runtime, database, and services live in containers rather than locally.